


peace

by agentmmayy



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 100th episode fic!!, Baby Fic, F/M, Lots of Babies, Shield 100, all the feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 09:43:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13924515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmmayy/pseuds/agentmmayy
Summary: 10 years into the future and Daisy reflects...This work is entirely inspired by and based on the Women of S.H.I.E.L.D. round table talk and was written in honor of the 100th episode and the 99 before it. Congrats AoS!!





	peace

**Author's Note:**

> So this is entirely based on the segment in the Women of S.H.I.E.L.D. roundtable talk where the ladies gave their suggestions on what they hope for in the 10 year future for their characters. Nearly every idea in this fic is from that talk so I highly suggest you go watch it before or after so you know what exactly is going on. As always, I hope you enjoy! There are a lot of feels :)
> 
> Also, that 100th episode!!! I AM DESTROYED IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY

The house was quiet aside from the sound of typing on a laptop. 

Daisy sat on the couch, bowl of snacks at her side, feet propped up, and computer in her lap. She felt like she was younger again, back when this would have been her standard appearance on the Bus, but instead she was rapidly approaching forty and answering multiple emails as well as reading some fanfiction about herself. She hardly got any moments like these to herself, too busy with her family and being Director, so this leave was much appreciated. Yes, Daisy was mostly exhausted but she loved every second of her life, even down to getting up at two in the morning to calm hungry cries.

On the screen of her laptop, a notification popped up for an incoming video call. Seeing the name, Daisy quickly accepted it but was faced with part of a familiar lab instead. She could hear voices, familiar ones sciencing and gently bickering but couldn't see them.

"Uh," Daisy said, "guys?" 

There was a hushed silence before a familiar face peered in. Four, actually.

"Daisy!" Jemma beamed. She looked beautiful, as always, eyes bright and cheeks left slightly more filled since her last pregnancy. "It's so good to see you. Although, why did you call?"

"Yeah," Fitz chimed in, eyes shining with amusement. He smiled but that quickly turned into a grimace as tiny spit slicked fingers pried at his lips. There was a baby strapped to his chest as well as one on Jemma's. "Not that we don't love talking to you." 

"You called me," Daisy frowned. "Jemma, did you butt dial me?" 

Off camera, Daisy heard a high giggle and a shriek of, "Butt!" 

"We were just working on a new project." Jemma said, brows burrowing before she sighed, the corners of her lips tilting up in a smile. "Skye must have called you while Fitz and I were busy."

"The little monkey," Fitz said purposely loud enough so a tiny giggle rose. "It's like we can't keep her out of anything."

On cue, there was a clatter.

"Oh, Fitz!" Jemma exclaimed, as Daisy had heard her do many, many times. That alone brought back memories of a small lab in a plane, back when all three of them were just kids. Jemma sighed, running a hand through her hair. The stone on her wedding band glinted under the bright lights. "Do get Skye, would you?" 

Fitz and Jemma had gotten married only days after their return from the future, in a brightly lit forest straight out of a storybook created from three monoliths exploding together. Finally, something good had come from the damned rocks. It was a small but beautiful wedding where Daisy was both a bridesmaid and a flower girl and cried as she walked the aisle and stood behind Jemma. Fitz cried also, the sheen of tears in his eyes as he said his vows shimmered in the sunlight. In fact, there wasn't a dry eye in their small gathering, Daisy had even seen May dab at her eyes. Coulson had officiated the wedding, looking every bit of the proud dad they knew he was. Mack filmed the wedding with this phone and played it at FitzSimmon’s tenth wedding anniversary days ago. Fitz and Jemma finally had their happy ending they had been torn from multiple times through the years.

"Oh, Daisy," Jemma sighed. She twisted her neck, trying to get away from Ellie May's curious chubby fists grasping for her hair. She kissed the imploring fingers instead and baby giggles filled the speakers. "How are you doing? How is everyone?" 

"Good." Daisy answered, relaxing a little more. "Elena's with the kids." Elena had expressed her desire to mentor young Inhumans, ever since Flint, to Daisy. Daisy had already been thinking of a program for just that and immediately put Elena in it who was thrilled. Elena had pretty much every child and young adult in the program adoring her, following her around like little ducks. "Mack's with her."

Even though he still threatened to quit multiple times, Mack had stayed with S.H.I.E.L.D. though mostly with Elena's insistence. He was never far from her side now. Mack and Elena had tied the knot not far after they returned from the future too. It was a simple wedding full of happy tears, Bobbi and Hunter, and watching Mack cry as Elena walked down the aisle on Coulson's arm. They had decided to wait to have children until a few more years of focusing on the kids in the Inhuman training program. In the meantime, they doted on everyone else's kids, quickly becoming "Auntie Yo-Yo" and "Uncle Mack".

Daisy had missed Fitz and Jemma. "How are you and Fitz and my nieces and nephew?" 

In the background, Daisy could see Fitz, baby James Phillip strapped to his chest, going in and out of the frame as he tried to catch Skye who was crawling around. 

"We're great," Jemma smiled, kissing the top of Ellie May's head who babbled back. "The twins have started to pull themselves up and Skye has just discovered cupboards and drawers."

Skye Margaret FitzSimmons was only three months old when Jemma found out she was pregnant again, this time with the twins. Their second pregnancy was completely unexpected but the twins were by far the cutest babies Daisy had ever seen, aside from her own, of course. Skye FitzSimmons had the same fiery, mischievous and adoring personality that Daisy herself had when she was known as Skye. 

“What’s your name, huh?” Daisy had cooed to the sleepily blinking newborn in her arms. The baby looked so much like Jemma already. “Did they name you after some famous scientist?”

Fitz and Jemma had shared a glance before Fitz cleared his throat and said, “Her name’s Skye.”

Daisy stopped rocking the baby and instead looked at the couple with wide, wet eyes. Jemma nodded, grinning as she leaned into Fitz, her arms wrapped around his middle and her own eyes misty. 

“You were first Skye to us,” Fitz began after he had cleared his throat, emotional himself. “It made sense that we would name our first daughter after you.”

The fraternal twins were almost carbon copies of both their parents, respectfully. Ellie May had Fitz's blue eyes like her older sister and James Phillip had his mother's hazel ones but both had Fitz's head of blonde curls. Both were named after their honorary grandparents who teared up when told the names.

Jemma and Fitz soon retired from Shield when Jemma was five months pregnant with the twins. They had served their time at Shield and wanted to focus on their family, which everyone respected their decision. They had been through too much not to. They moved out to the Scottish country side, of course, Perthshire to be exact, in a little cottage with a large yard and a lab. Of course, Fitz still designed gadgets and grumbled about whatever new thing that wasn't built to his standards. Jemma still gave her input on certain situations and both her and Fitz consulted quite frequently. The only thing that bothered Daisy about their retirement was that the base was lonely without them; it didn't feel the same but they were only a call away.

Daisy heard Fitz make a frustrated grunt before he peered in the frame, wrestling a squirming Skye on his hip with James Phillip still strapped to his chest. He was out of breath and huffed, "Little bugger's fast." 

"Were you making Daddy chase you?" Jemma asked Skye who simply giggled. Her giggles escalated as Jemma reached out and tickled her neck. "You were messing with Daddy?"

"Yes!" Skye shrieked, making Ellie May coo loudly. "Daddy chase me." 

"Well," Fitz sighed. "Daddy has to go sit down now because he was chasing after you with this bugger on his chest." He smiled, turning to Daisy. "See you Thursday?" 

Daisy nodded. "Yeah, if you guys are still coming." 

"Of course, we are," Jemma scoffed, grinning as James Phillip copied her.

"Love you." Fitz called over his shoulder. 

“Love you too, Leopold!” Daisy called back just to hear his irritated huff.

"Say bye bye Auntie Daisy!" Jemma cooed, turning so Ellie May could face Daisy. At the sight of Daisy, the baby grinned and Daisy grinned back. "See you soon!" 

"Bye Ellie Bellie." Daisy smiled. "Love you Jem." 

Jemma smiled, a soft, warm smile that Daisy knew she reserved for only her most cherished people. "Love you too, Daisy. Tell Coulson and May we say hi. Oh! And of course, little Mêi!" Jemma paused, brow furrowing, as she asked, "Where is she? Where are Coulson and May?" 

Just then, Daisy heard the familiar sound of the garage door opening and an SUV roll in. Her shoulders relaxed, "They just got home." 

"Well, send them our love." Jemma smiled. "See you Thursday." 

"See you." Daisy ended the call with one last wave to Ellie May. She shut her laptop, and was pushing it next to her when Melinda came in, setting a diaper bag down on the armchair.

"Hey," Melinda walked over, dropping a kiss to the top of Daisy's head. She sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around Daisy's shoulders. Daisy snuggled into her, eyes slipping closed contentedly as she felt Melinda's strong, steady heartbeat under her cheek. She then felt the backs of two fingers stroke her cheek, "Enjoy your you time?" 

Daisy nodded, "But I missed you." 

No matter how many times she heard Daisy say it, those words always made Melinda's heart beat a little faster. She hugged Daisy to her tighter and looked up as the door opened again. 

"We're back home now." Phil was talking softly to the baby in his arms. He smiled at the sight of Daisy and Melinda on the couch and kept his eyes on Daisy's as he whispered, "Your Mommy's here."

Every time Daisy heard herself be called Mommy, her heart leapt.

She eagerly took her daughter who had gone out with her grandparents so Daisy could have some alone time. Being full time Mommy and part time Director was exhausting and her parents were all too excited to have the baby for the day, or at least a few hours which included Daisy hacking the cameras everywhere they went. She trusted them, with her life, but needed to see her daughter. 

"Hey, small fry," Daisy smiled down at Mêi. The eight-week-old infant blinked up at her mother, snuggling closer to Daisy. Daisy held her daughter close, kissing Mêi's soft, sweet cheeks.

After the two weddings, Skye’s birth, her becoming Director, and saving the world, Daisy felt... sad, lonely, incomplete. She saw her best friends get married, even her surrogate parents finally get together. She knew there was something missing in her life along with romance but Daisy knew she wasn't ready for a relationship yet, at least, not a romantic one.

She thought for weeks going on months about her decision, researching every aspect of artificial insemination which sounded very clinical and harsher than it actually was. She researched fertility centers, OBGYNs, hospitals, even doulas and midwives before reaching her decision. Daisy had sat Coulson and May down one night and told them, tearing up as she did. There would always be a small fragment of her that cowered in fear of abandonment and disownment each time she admitted or brought something up to them. That was engrained into her, a reaction countless of rejections had nurtured. Only, Coulson and May were thrilled.

“How could we not be?” Coulson had asked when Daisy had hesitantly wondered if they supported her decision. May had nodded in agreement, reaching to place her hand on Daisy’s arm and they both held her as Daisy had cried in relief.

It was more than scary when she went in for her first consultation even though May and Coulson were right by her side. Daisy had faced down an Inhuman parasite before, even aliens and gods but this seemed far greater than those. May had held her hand tight as Daisy was reclined on the table as it happened. Coulson had been waiting outside but as soon as they came out of the room, he had hugged Daisy tightly, whispering how proud he was. It took a few visits of course, success hardly ever happened on the first try, but by the third time, Daisy had a baby.

One aspect of her journey that was actually fun was picking out a sperm donor. Of course, Daisy had done intense background checks on everyone in the center, especially the sperm donors but it was still amusing to go through the catalog with Jemma who insisted none of the men were good enough for Daisy.

"What about this one?"

"He looks like he doesn’t know the difference between dizygotic and monozygotic twins.” 

“Jemma… what.”

Fitz and Mack had offered to donate which moved Daisy to tears but she felt that it would be too awkward though both couples encouraged it but didn't push. She didn't focus too much on who she ended up picking, only that he was handsome, impeccable health, had a stable job, and lived a good, quiet life. He would never know that the infamous Quake had his child and Daisy intended to keep it that way. It was extremely selfish of her, even cruel some would say, but Daisy didn’t want any other innocent lives involved with hers. It was for her and her baby’s protection.

Daisy's pregnancy was anything but easy, as she had expected. Her kid couldn't do anything the easy way. She and Jemma had tried everything that had worked with Jemma during her pregnancies and everything in any book about the first trimester they could find. Daisy had intense morning sickness until her fourth month of pregnancy where she was informed by her OBGYN that she would be having a girl. 

For a brief moment, Daisy nearly had a panic attack.

How could she raise a baby, let alone a baby girl when she herself as a baby was passed around from nuns to foster homes without any support or love? Daisy knew for the first few months of her life she was loved by Jiaying and Cal but all she could remember from then on was rejection. She had no clue how to raise a child. The only childhood she had known was leaving foster homes faster than she could count, abuse, and the worst feelings of being unwanted.

She had cried to Coulson that night about it who had held her tight before looking her in the eyes.

"Daisy,” He had said, “You are one of the strongest women I know. There is no doubt in my mind that you’ll raise this baby to be a wonderful woman just like you. You won’t be perfect, but you’ll always have us to help.”

She knew she had her family to support her. Fitz and Jemma had already given her most of their kids’ outgrown newborn clothing while Elena talked to Daisy's stomach every chance she got and Mack hovered over her. Coulson and May did the most, though.

They had "retired" after the team saved the world which meant they lived off base and consulted regularly but Daisy would still have to roll her eyes as she wiped any records of a stopped attempted robbery at a grocery store or a drug bust on the highway. As for their relationship, Phil and Melinda had roughly thirty years to make up for, but they took it at their own pace where they could figure things out without any other pressure. 

Phil wasn't perfect, no one was, but he was pretty close. He and Melinda already had a strong friendship on and off the field, which only strengthened as they added romance to it. There were of course little disagreements as every couple but there were also slow dances in the light of the refrigerator late at night, warm baths, steamy showers, couch cuddles, and stolen kisses. Melinda was more than in love with Phil, this she knew. He was a part of her, and she a part of him.

“You mean a lot to me,” Melinda remembered herself saying to him what felt like eons ago on the Bus in the lab. Now, she freely told him how much he meant to her, how much she loved him, gasped between breaths, whispered in the dark, and even in public. Phil was the same, every chance he had, he told her he loved her even when Melinda rolled her eyes at him.

They didn't go unnoticed by the team, of course. Melinda also pretended not to notice the winks Elena sent in her direction throughout the reception at Elena and Mack's wedding when she was dancing with Phil. Daisy still teased them about finding them holding hands in the base. 

“You know I can write you up for fraternizing!” 

They bought a three-bedroom home on the outskirts of where the base was months after they saved the world. It was close enough to have peace of mind that they could reach Daisy quickly and far enough for privacy. It was nice, just the two of them for a little while but they soon asked Daisy to move in; the house felt incomplete without her.

“You-“ Daisy had asked, hesitancy outweighing her joy, eyes darting between them. “You really want me to?”

“Of course.” Melinda had said, eyes soft as she watched the smile grow on Daisy’s face. 

Melinda didn't really understand why she had wanted a three-bedroom home; it was still a lot of space for the three of them, but the moment Daisy announced she decided to have a baby, Melinda knew why her gut had insisted on a three bedroom. The third bedroom, located just next to Daisy's and down the hall from Phil and Melinda's was converted into a nursery, which Phil enjoyed every bit of doing.

Together, as if there was any other way, they had stood with Daisy during her pregnancy, offering her their undying love and support for both her and the baby. Phil was over the moon to be a grandpa, though they technically already were grandparents from the FitzSimmons brood, but this child was Daisy's. Daisy was their baby and she was having a baby.  
“Our baby is having a baby,” Phil had said to her the night Daisy told them. He was partially in shock but mostly thrilled. 

Melinda knew this was what Daisy needed to find her peace. She knew Daisy wasn't ready to fall in love or even date; she was still burdened by Lincoln's death and overall very busy with being Director. Daisy wasn't emotionally ready to handle a significant other but she was ready for a baby. 

Motherhood wasn't what Melinda had hoped for; it was better. She had three beautiful children who now had kids of their own and though they weren't hers biologically, they were in her heart, and that was all that mattered. 

It was especially rewarding to watch Daisy transition into motherhood from the first time she brought up her decision to the first visit Melinda and Phil accompanied her on. Daisy was the most empathetic, loving person Melinda knew. She had no doubt Daisy was going to be a fantastic mother, even if Daisy herself doubted that, especially in the instant where the child in Daisy's belly did not want to settle down for anything. 

"That's your baby," Coulson had laughed when she had complained about the baby keeping her up and making her pee umpteenth times a day. "What did you expect?" 

Daisy would be up most nights from the kicking and would crawl into Phil and Melinda's bed, curled up between them. Especially toward the end of her pregnancy, when the baby was running out of room, there would often be an outline of a tiny hand or foot which Melinda traced the tip of her finger over as Daisy slept.

The day before Daisy went into labor, she was curled up to May's side in bed though May knew she wasn't asleep. Next to them, Phil was soundly asleep, quietly snoring. It was a few moments before Daisy whispered hesitantly, "Mom?" 

May hummed, her hand rubbing Daisy's back. "Yeah, baby?" 

"I'm scared." 

"Come here," Daisy eagerly fitted herself closer to May's side as much as her swollen belly would allow. She curled up close, May's arms securely wrapped around her. Daisy laid her cheek on May's chest, though avoided her eyes in the dimly lit room. 

May stroked Daisy's hair, lips pressing to her temple. "What are you scared of?”

“Me,” Daisy admitted after a few seconds, her voice cracking. “Me being a terrible mom. All the moms I’ve had except you sucked.” 

“Hey,” Melinda said softly. Daisy peered up at her, brown eyes shining. Melinda smiled, tucking Daisy’s hair behind her ear. “You’re going to be a great mom. You won’t be perfect; no one ever is, but this baby is going to love you no matter what. So, will we.”

Daisy nodded. She knew both May and Coulson loved her more than anything else. They accepted and looked beyond her mistakes, corrected her when she was wrong, and were always there for her. She loved them more than she could understand. She turned her face into May’s neck where a few tears fell. Hormones, ugh.

Melinda Mêilì Johnson or Mêi for short made her entrance into the world after a rough thirteen hours of labor and extensive cursing. There was even a dent in Coulson's robot hand. Coulson and May were in when Daisy was in labor, even when she was delivering. Daisy had never seen May prouder than when she was the moment May laid eyes on Mêi. Coulson, of course, cried but dried his tears up long enough to cut the umbilical cord.

“She’s perfect,” he had kissed Daisy’s temple when the commotion faded out and she was feeding the baby. “Absolutely perfect.”

Daisy had no doubt that she would name her daughter after the woman who was more of a mother to her than her biological one. When she had whispered the name to May later that evening, there were tears in May's eyes.

Mêilì was Chinese for beautiful, a word May had whispered upon seeing the baby in Daisy's womb for the first time on the screen in the OBGYN office. It had stuck in Daisy's mind.   
Coulson was right. Without a doubt, Melinda Mêilì Johnson was perhaps the most perfect being Daisy had ever laid eyes on, weighing in at seven pounds, three ounces and seventeen inches long. She was flawless, from her teeny nose to her equally tiny toes and the way her mouth opened wide as she yawned and squeaked. She also looked exactly like her mother, with a shock of jet black hair, tan skin, and a set of nearly invisible dimples on her chubby cheeks. Daisy was enraptured with her. She couldn't believe that this tiny human was hers; she made that! She was incapable of taking her eyes from her daughter for even a second. 

“Hi,” Daisy had whispered through tears and pain as her daughter was placed on her chest, still covered in fluids and blood. The baby had squalled, feet kicking and little hands waving around but calmed as Daisy held her close. A sob rose in Daisy’s chest but unlike other tears, it was joyful. She touched her baby girl’s face, smiling widely as the baby snuffed and rooted, now making little mewls, “Hi,”

Daisy didn't realize love like this could exist. 

All she had wanted when growing up was to feel a mother's love. She knew getting yelled at for dropping a cookie or getting returned for simply calling a foster mom 'mom' wasn't a mother's love. Her search for that love ended when she met Melinda May, who, though, wasn't her biological mother, was the mother she had searched for her whole life. Melinda May loved fiercely and unconditionally, especially those under her protection and in her heart. Daisy knew that was the type of love she wanted to give to her daughter. She felt that love the moment she saw her tiny baby on the screen, felt that first kick, and first laid eyes on her daughter.

"How was your day?" Daisy asked. Mêi gurgled. "Did you have fun with your grandparents?" 

"We had tons of fun," Phil smiled, sitting on Daisy's other side yet his hand still found Melinda's over Daisy's shoulder. His thumb stroked the soft skin on Melinda's hand. "We went to the park and the grocery store." 

Mêi fussed, little hands near her face clenching. Daisy chuckled and pushed her low-cut shirt to the side, "Okay, I get it." Mêi latched on immediately and began eating, making adorable gulping noises. "Little piggy." 

"She refused the bottle," May commented as she played with a tiny foot, smiling as Mêi jerked her feet. "She just wanted Mom." 

"Well, Mom here needed a break for a bit," Mêi blinked innocently up at Daisy. "You're quite a handful, kid."

In response, Mêi smiled, milk dribbling down her chin. 

Daisy laughed, a genuine one that Phil or Melinda hadn't heard in so long. Mêi always seemed to coax them out of Daisy. 

"How was your day?" Phil asked, kissing Daisy's temple. His hand that wasn’t tangled with Melinda’s caressed Mêi’s head. "Did you relax?" 

She nodded. "I talked to Fitz and Jemma too. They're coming on Thursday." 

"Of course, they are," Phil said. "They can't miss Family Dinner." 

After a few minutes of steady chowing, Mêi detached with an 'urp'. Daisy laughed again and kissed her cheek before handing her back to an eagerly waiting Coulson. 

"You full now?" he cooed to the baby as he took the burp cloth May handed to him. He had been spit up on by his grandkids too many times to want to ruin another shirt. Mêi was practically milk drunk, sluggishly laying against Coulson's shoulder. She looked... peaceful.

Peace. The emotion washed over Daisy like a rolling wave, filling her chest. She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt but her heart felt the lightest it had in years. It had taken her time to forgive herself and get rid of the guilt she carried ever since she found out who she was to after they saved the world. It wasn’t easy, but she slowly recovered with the help of her family, and of course, her daughter.

This, watching Coulson burp Mêi and feeling May kiss her cheek was her peace. 

She had finally found it.

Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!! Please let me know what you think. I always love reading and replying to your lovely comments. You can find me on tumblr at casualsketchpaintingfan. Feel free to send me a message or ask anytime on there. Thank you again for reading! :)


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